Category: Uncategorized
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The One Biblical Verse We Need to Remember When We Discuss Guns
The New York Times did something extraordinary this Saturday—it ran an editorial on the front page. This was extraordinary in both senses of the word. On the one hand it was unusual in that this is the first time since 1920 that the Times ran an editorial on the front page. And on the other…
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Pray, But Light the Candles Too
With Hanukkah beginning this Sunday night, it is time to retell the traditional story of Hanukkah, how a small band of Jewish rebels rose up against the oppressive regime of King Antiochus, the Greek ruler who imposed severe restrictions on the Jewish community and Jewish practice, even desecrating the holy Temple in Jerusalem. Once the…
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Reunions
This is the week of reunions. For many, the holiday of Thanksgiving means a reunion of sorts, a coming together with family and friends who we may only see this one time a year. This is one of the special aspects of holiday time, we not only connect with the spirit of the season, and…
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Why I’m Tired of Praying for Peace
This week, once again, I had a turn on the Rabbis Without Borders blog on the My Jewish Learning website. My turn came in the wake of the attacks in Paris after which, I must admit, a deep sense of sorrow filled me. As we float between pessimism and optimism, I offer these thoughts (follow…
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Finding Expansiveness on a Tuesday Afternoon
Confession #1: You might have already realized this but I didn’t write a column last week. Last week was a bit busy for me, not only with work but with Yohanna being out of town attending a conference, I was solo parenting for a few days. Balancing that fact, along with things at work that…
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Enough
One of the most moving parts of my trip to Israel a few months ago wasn’t even a part of my official itinerary. Once my program of Interfaith Partners for Peace ended, I spend a few days on my own which included a visit to Yohanna’s uncle Eli and his family in Ramat Hasharon, outside…
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Love Thy (Next-Door) Neighbor as Thyself
It was my monthly turn on the Rabbis Without Borders blog today. Here is my contribution, reflecting on a recent incident. Talking about The Twilight Zone, neighbors, our ancestor Abraham, Halloween and my chickens… Love Thy (Next-Door) Neighbor as Thyself
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Noah and Small Injustices
This Shabbat we turned to the story of Noah, and small injustices. The story of Noah and the flood is perhaps known to us. It is a story that is told to us as children and a story that is a part of the popular imagination. (And recently was a major motion picture.) God, dissatisfied with…
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Here We Are Again, For the Very First Time
This was one of my favorite phrases to come out of my recent 18-month program on mindfulness and embodied spirituality for Jewish clergy, run by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. One of my teachers, Rabbi Jonathan Slater, spoke them as we came to one of our last mediation sessions of the program. I echoed these…
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